The ICSA Scotland Conference 2016

About

Businesses across the UK are subject to a number of new 2016 regulations aimed at rooting out unethical business practices and shady financial arrangements. These measures are designed to focus the attentions of boards on ensuring probity across their organisations. However, even the most comprehensive system of checks, balances and internal controls are not completely infallible.

At this conference, we looked in detail at the political and regulatory challenges governance professionals working in Scotland will have to deal with over the next 12 months. We also explored the process of governance itself and looked at how a company can create and sustain a culture of honesty and integrity over the long-term.

Programme

Programme

Time

What's on

08:45

Conference opens - Registration and tea/coffee

09.15

IntroductionGary Gray, Chair, ICSA Scotland Branch

09.30

Regulatory round up

Although the pace of change in the regulatory world has thankfully abated, there are a number of new rules that companies in Scotland will have to contend with this year. In this session, we look at issues including the execution of documents and proposed regulation to close the gender pay gap.Lindsay Wallace, Director of Risk and Knowledge Management Morag Moffett, Director, Employment Division, Burness Paull LLP

10.00

People with Significant Control

From 30 June this year, companies must include their PSC Register when they send their next Compliance Statement to Companies House. Here we look at what information should be included in your register and examine some of the more complex details of the requirements.Peter Swabey FCIS, Director of Policy and Research, ICSA

10.30

Aberdeen Asset Management Governance Research

What exactly are investors looking for when they assess the standard of governance within investee companies? Drawing on recent research, our speaker outlines the key issues for investors right now and how companies can meet their increasingly high expectations.Scott Massie, Group Company Secretary, Aberdeen Asset Management PLC

11.00

Tea/coffee

11.20

Career development workshop

Is your job taking you in the right direction? Are you on track to reach your long-term career aspirations? In this interactive session, our speaker explores how company secretaries and governance professionals can make more of their current roles and how to overcome the barriers that might prevent them moving their career forward.Valerie Teller, Independent Career CoachTina Hankin FCIS, Head of Company Secretariat, Insurance, Lloyds Banking Group

12.10

Supply chain transparency

Although the Modern Slavery Act 2015 only applies to companies with turnovers of more than £36 million, many SMEs now find they must comply with the regulations as part of their contractual arrangements with larger organisations. So, what kind of assurances are big companies looking for and what does a good antislavery and trafficking statement look like?Paul Marshall, Partner, Brodies LLP

12.40

Reflections on governance

In rethinking the future of governance, we can look to the past and learn from it. In this session, we take a look back in history and consider alternative governance visions to see how the corporate governance landscape has changed and what the future may hold.Professor Paolo Quattrone, Dean of Special Projects, College of Humanities & Social Sciences and Chair in Accounting Governance & Social Innovation, University of Edinburgh Business School

13.10

Networking lunch

14.00

Market Abuse Regulation

With MAR coming into force on 3 July 2016, we take a look at: the aims of the new regulation, the differences compared to the current regime, what companies should be considering and the remaining outstanding decisions. We will also have an interactive session during which companies can share their experiences and challenges preparing for MAR.Viviane Joynes, Head of Industry, Capita Asset Services

15.00

Conference closes

Sponsors

Diligent

Over 3,500 clients in more than 60 countries and on all seven continents rely on Diligent to provide secure, intuitive access to their most time-sensitive and confidential information, ultimately helping them make better decisions.

Capita Asset Services

Brainloop

Founded in 2000, Brainloop is a leading provider of highly secure Corporate Governance and Collaboration Solutions for managing confidential information and sharing documents internally and externally.